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Sony Files New Game Cartridge Patent

Submitted by Kenneth Kwok on Tue, 11/27/2018 - 07:35

From PC Mag: It used to be the case that Sony competed with Nintendo on two fronts: home consoles and handheld gaming devices. But with the demise of the PS Vita it looked as though Sony had left the handheld market for good. However, a new patent for a game cartridge suggests otherwise.

As Techtastic reports (translated), a new patent filing appeared on the Korea Intellectual Property Rights Information Service (KIPRIS) this month for an "electronic game cartridge." The filing was made by Sony.

Games consoles have relied on optical discs and digital delivery for several generations now, with game cartridges being a more expensive and storage limited option. However, the introduction and success of the Nintendo Switch has proved cartridges can still work even for a device that classes as a home console. So why is Sony attempting to patent a new cartridge?

The reason PS Vita fans would like to hear is that Sony is working on a successor to the Vita. I'd agree that's the most obvious explanation if the Switch didn't exist, but it seems more likely that the success of the Switch may have made Sony change its plans for the PlayStation 5. Or at least, Sony is planning to compete with the Switch somehow when the PS5 launches. If you have other ideas, please share them in the comments below.